Combined folding child{40 s crib and playpen

ABSTRACT

Opposed panels of equal construction and length are secured together by hinges to form sides for an enclosure. End frames, each provided with pairs of pivots of unequal length hingedly support the panels so that the panels can be collapsed into a compact assembly between the frames for storage. Barrel bolts carried by two of the frames serve to lock the enclosure in an open position when the end frames are separated.

United States Patent 1111 3,631,548

[72] Inventor Julius Dahab [56] ReferencesCited Littleneck, N.Y. UNITED STATES PATENTS [21] AppLNo; 17,818 2,487,636 11/1949 Churchwell 5/99A [221 PM 2,491,966 12/1949 Gans 5/99.32 45] Patented Ja n.4, 1972 2,692,l53 10/1954 Schlueter.. 5/82X [731 AS81811 nlswslflmdudslnc- 2,901,755 9/1959 Wood, Jr... 5/99R 3,165,760 1/1965 Abajian..... 5/99RX 3,311,934 4/1967 Goldberg 5/102 [54] COMBINED FOLDING CHILD S CRIB AND Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg PLAYPEN Attorney-Albert F. Kronman 2 Claims, 14 Drawing Figs.

52 U.S.Cl 5/99R 51] mm. ..E03d13/00, ABSTRACT 0mm! panels equal consmlcuo and length are secured together by hinges to fonn sides for an enclosure. End frames, each provided with pairs of pivots of unequal length hingedly support the panels so that the panels can be collapsed into a compact assembly between the frames for storage. Barrel bolts carried by two of the frames serve to lock the enclosure in an open position when the end frames are separated.

A47d 9/00 [50] Field of Search 5/1 I, 82, 98, 99, 102, 112,114, 174, 317; 312/258 1 COMBINED FOLDING CHILD 'S CRIB AND PLAYPEN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Play pens and cribs for children having foldable sides and bottoms so that they can be stored in a minimum of space have been available for many years. However, most of these devices have been heavy cumbersome articles, even in their folded positions, and of limited utility. The structures employed to hold prior art devices together require great manipulation for opening and closing and often presented sharp injurious members to the children within the crib.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a combined child's folding crib and play pen which is light, compact when folded, easy to open and secure in the open position and easy to release and fold when it is desired to store it away.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES In the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, identical elements have been given the same reference numbers, in which drawings;

FIG. 1 is an end view in elevation showing the combined folding crib and play pen in the folded condition.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the crib and play pen shown in FIG. 1 in the partially opened condition.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 2 shown in a further stage of opening.

FIG. 4 is a view in side elevation partially broken away of a barrel bolt structure greatly enlarged used to secure the side elements together when completely opened, taken on line 4- 4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the barrel bolt of FIG. 4 shown in the completely opened position.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the crib and play pen in the opened condition.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the crib and play pen showing the hinge structure at one of the side frames taken on line '7-7 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view in side elevation taken on line -11 of FIG. 1 showing the leg member in the extended position.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view in side elevation partially broken away showing the manner in which the leg member is locked to the end frame structure.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 13-13 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 14-14 in FIG. 13 looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 thru 3, indicates a childs folding crib and play pen having as its main elements, two end frames 21 of substantially identical construction and four side panels 22, 22a. The end frames 21 consist of a body portion 23 made of tubular steel or aluminum and of generally rectangular configuration. A horizontal bar 24 spaced from the top of each end frame and secured to the sides thereof completes the body of the end frame and serves to support one end of a series of elongated rods 25 which are secured within holes 26 provided in the side of the bar 24. A corresponding series of holes 27 is provided in the horizontal bottom rail portion 28 of the frame 21 to secure the bottom end of the rods 25.

Each of the frames 21 is provided with two pairs of pivots 29-30 of unequal size which extend in the direction of the opposite frame. The pivots 29-30 are spaced from the top and bottom of the frames and, when the frames are assembled as shown in FIG. 3, the long frame pivots 29 on one end frame faces the short pivot 30 on the opposed end frame. The purpose of the pivots 29-30 will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

The side panels 22, 22a are substantially identical in construction and consist of elongated tubular upper and lower members 31, 32 secured together by elongated rods 25 identical to those used in the end frames 21. Bores 33 are provided in the sides of tubular members 31, 32 to receive the rods 25 therein. The side panels 22, 22a are secured together at their inner ends by means of hinges 34. The outer ends of the side panels 22, 22a are each freely secured to a pivot 29-30 by means of upstanding pins 35-36 (Best shown in FIG. 7).

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the hinge arrangement hereinabove described permits the side panels 22, 22a to be folded between the end frames 21 into a compact assembly for transportation or storage purposes. The larger pivots 29 provide an area within which the adjacent side panels 22 can fit and not obstruct the further closing of the combined folding crib and play pen. It will also be seen that when the opposed end frames 21 are pulled apart as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the hinged side panels 22, 22a will straighten out until they assume the rectangular configuration shown in FIG. 6.

As the side panels 22, 22a reach their open position, springloaded barrel bolts 37, best shown in FIG. 4 snap into locking position. The barrel bolts 37 consisting of elongated bulletshaped members are slideably carried within the tubular upper members 31 on each of the side panels 22a. A spring 38 urges the barrel bolts 37 in the direction of the adjacent side panel 22 so that the barrel bolt will enter the bore 39 of the tubular member 31 as the side panels are brought to their opened position. The barrel bolts 37 are also provided with a detent 40 which extends downwardly through a slot 41 in the tubular member 31 so that the barrel bolt 37 can be retracted when it is desired to close the crib. The barrel bolt 37 is of sufficient length that it will rigidly lock the two sections of the side panel 22, 220 into a unitary structure. In addition, the nature of the releasing detent 40 is such that small children are not likely to open it.

Each of the tubular members 32 at the bottom of side panels 22a is provided with an inwardly extending flange portion 41 adjacent the hinges 34 for the purpose of supporting the floor 42 of the crib. The floor is also supported by the upper surface of the lower tubular members 31. The floor 42 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 consists of four rigid support boards two of which are hinged together and carried by each of the end frames 21. The outermost floor boards 43 are in turn secured to the end frames 21 adjacent thereto by means of hinges 44. The hinges 45 between the boards 43, 43a permit them to be folded into a smaller elements for storage purposes. The free ends of the floor boards 43a meet at the center of the crib and two brackets 55 having a channel-shaped portion thereon (best shown in FIG. 8) are secured to one of said boards and adapted to receive the opposite edge of the abutting board member. In this manner the boards are held in abutting relationship so that a child cannot bend one of them and catch his foot between the two adjacent edges. The flange members 41 underlie the ends of the abutting edges of the boards 43a and further maintain their orientation. Each of the floor boards 43 is provided with a small hole 46 through which a clip 47 (best shown in FIGS. 13 and 14) which is secured beneath the boards 43a will project when the boards are folded during storage. The clip 47 is further positioned so that it will engage one of the rods 25 in the end frames 21 and lock the floor boards in an upright position when they are not in use. This arrangement greatly facilitates the opening and closing of the crib since the floor boards will not fall down the minute the crib is opened.

The folding crib and play pen 20 is provided with elongated leg members 48 which are telescopically received within the upright portions 49 of the end frames 21. Casters 50 are slipped within the legs 48 to improve mobility of the crib. The legs 48 are further adjustable within the upright members 49 by means of a small spring loaded pin 51, (best shown in FIG. 12). The pin 51 is bullet shaped ad will snap into one of a series of openings 52 provided in the upright tubular member 49. When the pin 51 snaps into place, the leg 48 is locked into position within the upright member 49. Adjusting the leg 48 within the upright portion 49 merely requires that the pin 51 be forced inwardly and the leg moved into or out of the upright member 49 until the pin comes into register with the desired hole 52. It will be apparent that in this manner, the folding crib and play pen can be used in either the elevated or lowered position as a crib or play pen respectively.

A small plastic plug 53 is inserted into the ends of the tubular steel member 31, 32 of the side panels 22 adjacent each of the pivots 29 and 30 and bears against the adjacent portion of the crib structure. The plug 53 improve the rigidity of the crib at this point and add to the quietness of its operation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided a combined child's folding crib and play pen which is light in weight, compact, easy to open and close, and which is made of material which can be washed and maintained in a sanitary condition with a minimum of effort.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patents of the United States, is:

1. A combined childs folding crib and play pen comprising spaced upstanding end frames consisting of substantially rectangular members of tubular metal and a series of spaced vertical metal rods permanently secured at their ends between the horizontal portions of the end frames, spaced side panels pennanently secured at each end to the end frames, each side panel comprising two members of substantially identical size and construction hingedly secured together and formed of upper and lower horizontal elongated metal tubular members and a series of vertical spaced elongated metal rods secured at their tops and bottoms to the said tubular members, a first pair of spaced pivots, permanently secured to each of the end frames adjacent to top and bottom of a f'ust vertical portion thereof and extending outwardly in the direction of the adjacent side panel, a second pair of spaced pivots shorter than said first pivots, secured to each of the end frames adjacent the top and bottom of the second vertical portion thereof and extending outwardly in the direction of the adjacent side panel, pin means for swingably securing the side panels to the pivots and a floor member comprising a plurality of boards hingedly secured to the end frames at the lower horizontal portion thereof.

2. A combined childs folding crib and play pen according to claim 1 in which one of the upper horizontal tubular members on each of the spaced side panels is provided with a spring-loaded barrel bolt disposed for axial engagement within the adjacent end of the tubular member of the second side panel. 

1. A combined child''s folding crib and play pen comprising spaced upstanding end frames consisting of substantially rectangular members of tubular metal and a series of spaced vertical metal rods permanently secured at their ends between the horizontal portions of the end frames, spaced side panels permanently secured at each end to the end frames, each side panel comprising two members of substantially identical size and construction hingedly secured together and formed of upper and lower horizontal elongated metal tubular members and a series of vertical spaced elongated metal rods secured at their tops and bottoms to the said tubular members, a first pair of spaced pivots, permanently secured to each of the end frames adjacent to top and bottom of a first vertical portion thereof and extending outwardly in the direction of the adjacent side panel, a second pair of spaced pivots shorter than said first pivots, secured to each of the end frames adjacent the top and bottom of the second vertical portion thereof and extending outwardly in the direction of the adjacent side panel, pin means for swingably securing the side panels to the pivots and a floor member comprising a plurality of boards hingedly secured to the end frames at the lower horizontal portion thereof.
 2. A combined child''s folding crib and play pen according to claim 1 in which one of the upper horizontal tubular members on each of the spaced side panels is provided with a spring-loaded barrel bolt disposed for axial engagement within the adjacent end of the tuBular member of the second side panel. 